Jimmy Witherspoon & Robben Ford – Jump Blues Live 1972
Liberation Hall
9 tracks/41 minutes
Recorded live on March 14, 1972 at the famed Troubadour rock club in West Hollywood, California, blues hall of famer Jimmy Witherspoon is joined by the young guitar wizard Robben ford in this previously unreleased session from Los Angeles. The cuts are classic blues songs performed by a blues legend and his then 21 years old protégé.
Witherspoon was a premier vocalist who got his start during the Second world War in 1945 when he recorded with Jay McShann. One R&B song hit number one the next year, but the 1950’s saw the decline of the big band. Jimmy resurfaced as the British invasion gave rise to R&B being “rediscovered” and regained some of his former fame. In 1972 he joined up with a rising young guitar player from California, recorded a few songs and did this gig at the Troubadour. Witherspoon and Ford both rose in stature and notoriety over the years. The discovery of this session’s recording affords us a glimpse back to a fantastic night of music.
Joining the pair on stage were Paul Nagel on piano, Stan Poplin on bass and Jim Baum on drums. This quintet deliver a fine performance that the crowd at the club enjoyed with gusto.
The set begins with Sonny Boy Williamson II’s “Don’t Start Me to Talkin’’ with rousing guitar and Witherspoon in great form. Jimmy’s hit of Willie Dixon’s “Ain’t Nobody’s Business” follows, a heart felt tune with soulful vocals and Ford offering some retrained and tasteful guitar. Little Walter’s “My Babe” gets a fine cover by Witherspoon and Ford again plays some wickedly cool guitar.
Dixon’s “Spoonful” follows, and Witherspoon takes it in a soulful direction with his excellent vocals. Ford offers some pretty licks here, too. “Past Forty Blues” gets a disclaimer by Jimmy as being over 40 is not a pretty subject. He delivers a very impassioned rendition as he and Ford get down and dirty in this beautiful cut. The classic “Kansas City: follows with a rousing guitar intro by Ford. Witherspoon gives it his all as the duo and players play their hearts out.
Up next is “Nothing’s Changed” which Witherspoon recorded and made famous in that era. A pretty and slow blues with a fantastic vocal performance and guitar that sounded like a blues master had played; what a nice performance! “Around the Clock” follows that, a great 1940’s swing blues that Witherspoon and Ford pay great homage to. They conclude with “Goin’ Down Slow,” a 1941 song by St. Louis Jimmy Oden. A delightful and moving slow blues, Ford does a very pretty job on guitar as Witherspoon does what he does best. A wonderful finish to a show that gets to live on via this release.
After this, Ford went on to fame with Tom Scott and his L.A. Express and then a host of famed acts after his start with both Jimmy and Charlie Musselwhite. Witherspoon was inducted into the Blues Foundation’s Hall of Fame in 2008 after his passing in 1997. This is destined to a special added and limited LP release on Record Store Day on cobalt blue vinyl, too. This early Ford recording with Jimmy is a great fine and worthy of adding to any blues lover’s collection. I most highly recommend it!
